Hooniverse Asks- What's Your Favorite Crap Car?

Robert Emslie

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Yesterday I polled your take on what car you were circling like a shark around a dying whale, waiting to swoosh in for the coup de grâce when the price finally falls to non-nosebleed levels. Of course many of you grandmas chastised that the purchase price of a bargain exotic was only the first in a long line of expenditures on such a car and that you might as well just flush your cash down the crapper like yesterday’s partially digested corn on the cob.
Lot of fun you guys are.
Today we’ll be a little less visionary, but a whole lot more practical and ask what is your favorite crap car. I have a buddy, a young guy from Chicago with whom I used to work. He drove out here in, and continued to rely upon a decade old Chevy Cavalier convertible which he affectionately referred to as the White Ferrari. That car was rough, cheap, coarse and common. It also was reliable, frugal, easy to park, unpretentious,  and  able to drop its top at the first hint of California sun. In many ways, it was the perfect car, while in a lot of others, it was satan’s spawn.
Cavaliers, Foci, Government auction Crown Vics – and even the mega-mundain Corolla, there’s a ton of cheap cars out there that, while they won’t get you any tail, they have a pretty good record of getting you home at night. Crap cars are like that best friend girl in the teen movies that always turns out to be the love of the life of the main charachter, who would see that if he hadn’t been obsessed with the shallow but beautiful cheerleader. Those girls- the quietly smokin’ best friend girls? Yeah, in real life they don’t exist.  So stop looking. But cheap crap cars that may be the Fug, but still will get you out of nearly any situation? Those are just a Craigslist ad away.
They say that a good friend would bail you out of jail, while your best friend would be the one sitting next to you saying “damn that was awesome.” These crap cars are like that best friend. Which one would you like the most to be your wingman?
Image source: [conceptcarz.com]

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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142 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What's Your Favorite Crap Car?”

  1. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    Perhaps not really crap, but not something the average guy would love at first sight – Honda Civic Wagon with AWD and six-speed manual. Really, any stickshift Civic prior to 2001 is good "crap".
    <img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cBF9uBNdNe0/SsJfi-KUj6I/AAAAAAAAHEk/cbOwe1hwDj4/s400/Honda-Civic_Wagon_1990_1024x768_wallpaper_01.jpg&quot; width="400/">

    Reply
  2. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    Easy…<img src="http://y2u.co.uk/classic_car/Photo_caq/Cl_Jeep_Cherokee_01.jpg"width=500>__

    Reply
    1. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      Well, hello! It's time to wish you and your family a Happy 4th of July Weekend. I know how thrilled you are to see us, but you are the chosen one. Aren't you lucky? Or is it unlucky?
      4751 – 4800

      Reply
      1. Buickboy92 Avatar
        Buickboy92

        @MZS: Hey MZS! Long time no see! I see you had a vacation at the Peterson Museum! Awesome awesome place! I'm glad you and your family enjoyed it. How have you been otherwise?
        4766

        Reply
        1. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
          mr. mzs zsm msz esq

          Hi BB!
          Great to hear from you! I saw your comment on the old Cord, I agree. I've been great overall, how have you and your family been? Have you been to the Peterson Museum? It's funny because Aga thinks there were 20 cars, I think there were 400, ha! The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. matter of perception really 😉
          Before this Aga took a trip to Poland with Kevin. I watched the other two kids. That was a great time too. The vacation we just took was fantastic as well. I love how Aga plans everything. Like when we arrived, we rented a car and she had a pizza place picked-out. We at there, then did some shopping on the way to the beach that she had already picked. All this stuff was planned by her months in advance, she's great at planning vacations. It was like that for the whole trip. My favorite parts were all the times Aga was in a bikini on the beach with me, I know I'm hopeless 😉 Did you do any neat things this summer?
          Have a good one,
          4769

          Reply
      2. Buickboy92 Avatar
        Buickboy92

        @MZS My Family and I are doing good!, we're getting ready to move in a few months! No I've never been to The Peterson Museum, but I would love to go! I haven't done much for the summer yet, other then hang out with my friends. How's your Volvo holding up?
        4781

        Reply
        1. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
          mr. mzs zsm msz esq

          Hi BB!
          Wow moving is always exciting! Are your parents taking it well? I know in our marriage moving would cause Aga some stress before but then after she would get really happy. My mom was the same way. I wonder if it's universal? The Volvo is doing great. Let's see, I've done some rust repair, the latest to the rear tailgate. I rebuilt the clutch slave cylinder, I've done my first valve adjustment, and I have been slowly amassing everything I need for the conversion to an electronic ignition. The car has been very reliable and fun! Tuning those carbs is like a black art though, I tried to do it by listening, but couldn't manage. I'll have to buy the tool.
          Anyway here's something cool, Kevin is learning to play bass now, the big orchestra kind! He just started, I think the real reason is because he thinks it would be funny to play songs like Smoke on the Water on it 😉
          Have a good one,
          4783

          Reply
    2. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      zsm, smz, brb…….Good deal on the successful installation! And, yes, you're more than ready for this vacation. The weekend has started out pretty warm here…..high 90's, with no chance of rain. At least we don't have the high humidity in Colorado. I'm thankful for that. Friends are coming over shortly, so it's time to go. Have fun! Be safe!
      4754

      Reply
    3. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      mzs…
      Have a good vacation! You need it!
      4755

      Reply
    4. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      $kaycog…
      Hi! This week is going by in a hurry. How was your 4th? Did the cookouts go well? We had about the best weather for the weekend and the air-show was great. My sister liked it so much that we decided that we are going to go to the big EAA Airventure airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at the end of the month.
      4756

      Reply
    5. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      TowerofPower……Yes, it was a short week. I just got back from a today's out-of-town appointment. Lucky for me, it was in the mountains, and I even drove in rain for part of the way coming back. It was beautiful, as always. We finally got a shower here yesterday, about .12". Some parts of the town got just sprinkles. I hope this breaks the dry trend, but who knows.
      The cookouts went well……lots of good food and friends. It doesn't get any better than that. Fireworks were in most towns in this area, so it was a very quiet evening.
      4757
      The airshows sound like a lot of fun and interesting.

      Reply
    6. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      $kaycog…
      That really a bummer about the drought going on where you are and south. It seems like we've been talking about if for a long time. I hope it breaks for you guys soon.
      Airshows are pretty fun. I can't say that I know a ton about aircraft (I'm learning) but it's quite amazing what some planes can do…and what the people that pilot them can endure. One of the acts at the airshow was a wing walker. It's an old WWI style bi-plane where one person pilots while the other stands on top of the top wing while the pilot and the wingwalker do tricks! It's crazy! Speaking of which…didn't Buick Boy go to an aviation school?
      Any weekend plans? It should be somewhat quiet for me. I have some chores to do and I will be hanging out at my girlfriend's aunt's house on Saturday (she makes good food!).
      Have a good Friday!
      4758

      Reply
    7. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      TowerofPower……It's going to be a relatively quiet weekend for me too with errands and cleaning house Saturday. Sunday brings church, brunch with friends, and that's about it. I enjoy a quiet weekend now and then. We had two small rain showers two days in a row, but not enough to break the drought. It's funny that the Western part of CO has more than usual rains.
      I can't imagine walking on the wing of an airplane while it's flying. That's nothing I want to do. No, Buickboy didn't go to aviation school. You're probably thinking of Syrax who was going to flight attendant school in Sao Paulo. He talked about that in the original Stormchasers. I've seen him comment on Hooniverse, but I haven't had any interaction with him.
      Enjoy your weekend!
      4759

      Reply
    8. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi you two!
      We all had a great vacation, we went to Peterson museum! That and the beaches were my favorites. Legoland was really great too. I bet Aga will put some pictures online soon, I managed a few, but she does a way better job. Here's a funny one:
      <img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/268358_692092588770_2912893_35215834_6327163_n.jpg&quot; width="500">
      Skaycog, you have an impressive memory! And Tower, that airshow wing walking is crazy! I'll write more as I get less busy but there's a lot to catch-up on and fix at work.
      Have a good one,
      4760

      Reply
    9. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      $kaycog…
      Those quiet weekends are nice. Mine was fairly quiet but ended with some excitement at a party watching the Women's World Cup team just eak out a victory over Brazil. That was quite an exiting game. And they won again today which means they get a chance to be number one!
      We also had quite a storm on Sunday night/Monday morning. The line of storms actually created a swath of damage from central Iowa all the way to West Virginia. Quite impressive!
      4761

      Reply
    10. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      TowerofPower……YAY for the women's soccer team!!! It's times like this when I become a soccer fan. It sounds like that was quite a storm. I'm still dry here. Thirty miles away, they are having lovely rains. We might get an occasional light shower, but nothing significant. We get just enough to dirty up my car. I washed it early this morning, so we'll see how long that lasts. I do like a clean car. I even open the hood and wipe water off things there.
      4762

      Reply
    11. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      msz, smz, pop……..Welcome back! I'm sure you have a lot to tell us about your trip. Trips are a lot of fun, but when it comes down to it, there's no place like home. I believe Dorothy said that. 😉 Not much new going on with me. I went to the mountains one day, and had a wonderful, beautiful trip. I've been out to eat a few times….my favorite foods…..Chinese, Yakitori, steak, taco salad. I had them different times, of course.
      I'm sure you have tons of things to do, both at home and work. Good to see you.
      4763

      Reply
    12. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      Actually vacation was great, coming back, well to a lot of work, so not so great. Aga has started putting the pictures online, she has more than 180 she wants to so it will take a while!
      http://agamama.blogspot.com/
      I'll write about whatever fun stuff she might miss in her blog. When we got back it was really late, some airline annoyances, I think I went to sleep at 2:30AM. But I went yesterday to help (really I'm the guy learning) Racin with his racecar. It's really close to being ready. Also for anniversary I paid my uncle to do the landscaping, he did a really great job.
      Have a good one,
      4764

      Reply
    13. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      msz, szm, cia…….Great pictures that your wife took, as always! Can you imagine how many albums you guys would have if posting them online wasn't available? It looks like your family had a wonderful vacation and lots of fun. How is Racin? He hasn't been around anywhere for several months. How's the race car coming along? Tell him hi for me! I had a nice 4th of July, except no fireworks as there is a fire ban in several counties, and fireworks are banned too. It seemed weird not to hear them going off.
      Time to sign off for the evening.
      4765

      Reply
    14. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      mzs…
      Welcome back from your vacation! Legoland looked pretty cool. And a Lego Volvo! How cool is that! I hope it's not too hard to get caught up at work/home. Any weekend plans?
      4766

      Reply
    15. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      $kaycog…
      That is pretty exciting for the women's team. I used to watch and play soccer (football…sorry mzs!) years ago but kind of lost track of it (and other sports) in college, but man did that game against Brazil bring my excitement level for it right back up. I'm surprised Japan beat Sweden to play us. It should be interesting on Sunday.
      Do you have any weekend plans? I have a few outdoor projects I want to get done tonight/early tomorrow before it gets ridiculously hot and humid tomorrow thought next week. It will probably one of our hottest spells in a long while.
      Happy Friday!
      4767

      Reply
    16. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      Wow Aga finished-up all the photos last night! She is a great photographer. Also on Sunday we are meeting an old family friend that was her inspiration to be photographer from the time she was little kid. The guy really seems to like me too plus he likes old cars, oh man will he be surprised 🙂
      I think Racin now spends most of his time online at the lemons forums. I still have not heard back from him today but there is hope that this Friday he will run some laps at a nearby place. If so and it's not too expensive I will go too. On Monday he picked-up the engine from the builder. On Wednesday Erik came over and helped him put it in. Then on Thursday I came over to help, we hooked everything-up we had (an ignition coil wire was lost in the transport). Then yesterday Erik came over and helped with everything else like oil, coolant, brakes, bleeding clutch. But they finished too late to go through the break-in process (it's LOUD). So if the break in goes well today, he runs some laps tonight. Then the plan is to run one race and have a fresh car for next season. All this stuff was very expensive this year, Racin got a promotion though, so that's good.
      Have a good one,
      4768

      Reply
    17. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Tower,
      Thanks, my big plan for this weekend other than for Sunday to meet an old family friend is on Saturday I meet my old HS friend. He had a really rough break-up and a bunch of us are coming over to his new place. Poor guy, he'd been with the same girl since HS, but always made it clear that he will never actually marry, because of divorce crap. I really think he loved and adored her, just he got wealthy from working crazy hard at risky internet stuff when he was younger (has an elise and rx-8 now) and was worried about what could happen. Anyway a bunch of us just going to come over grill and drink beers.
      Other than that I am going to watch soccer (it's okay name, I was just being silly before). I did not get to watch any during the vacation (no time) but I am rooting for Japan. I read that the people are so happy already because of their team, with the March quake/tsunami and nuclear plant stuff in addition to that, man they would appreciate a championship like that! I wonder if I will be able to watch some of the past games now on EPSN online? Anyway just looking at the scores I do think that they have a very good shot at winning, a team like Sweden for example I remember plays and consists of players a lot like USA if things have not changed much over the last time and Olympics.
      Have a good one,
      4770

      Reply
    18. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      smz, zsm, cod…….Thanks for the update on Racin. I'm glad he has the race car in running condition now. He sure has some expense in it this year. I'm also glad for his promotion at work. I miss him and his funny comments, but I guess his allegiance is somewhere else now.
      What did the kids like best of your trip to CA? What did you and Aga like best?
      Have a great Friday evening.
      4769

      Reply
    19. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      TowerofPower…..Summer is here with a vengeance too, sans the humidity. I don't think I could ever get used to that. I've been in the MIdwest in the summertime, and it just takes my breath away. I've never played soccer before. As a very little kid, I liked softball, then in my teenage years I liked volleyball. Have a great weekend!
      4770

      Reply
    20. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      $kaycog…
      Well, it was over 80 degrees already when I left for work at 6:45 this morning and super-humid. It just makes everything smell nasty, inside and out. I noticed on Saturday that a baseball game in Denver was rain-delayed, does that mean you are getting some rain! I hope so!
      4772

      Reply
    21. Tower_Of_Power Avatar
      Tower_Of_Power

      mzs…
      That's unfortunate about your friend. I hope he had a good time Saturday.
      What a soccer match! I was standing most of the time! It was a great game and I couldn't think of a better team to loose too. Speaking of watching games online, I believe that ESPN 3 has past games available online if you have an internet provider that partners with ESPN (maybe that's what you were talking about in your comment). I have Verizon internet and an application on my Xbox that allows me to use it on my tv. The world cup game was actually the first time I've used it and it worked great!
      Have a good Monday and stay cool. I'm sure it's nasty down there too.

      Reply
    22. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      I had a great weekend, thanks. I made a clip for the V in Volvo and then cemented them all on. I also dealt with the rust in part of the tailgate and made a new window shade in the kitchen. It was a gift from my mother in law but windows are completely different in Poland so I had to be creative to get it to fit. I washed the Volvo and we all drove in it to Lisle. It was 100F! But the old family friend really appreciated it. He has a '72 boat tail Riviera, which I had known nothing about until then.
      Racin and Erik ran into more trouble and will not be ready until next Friday. They had a timing light that was lying. Then they burned up a wire on the distributor cap. Finally they have everything right though they think, so on this Friday they practice, and on Saturday they race (different places). Pit passes are expensive (well for cheap me, nothing in the scheme of what Racin pays!) so I will go to one.
      Have a good one,
      4773

      Reply
    23. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Tower,
      Yup I discovered ESPN3 online and was up until 3:30AM on Saturday watching 3.5 games 🙂 On the computer you can have up to 4 games on the screen at the same time! My DSL was too slow, so I sometimes used PIP for two and sometimes watched one game at a time. But man was that cool! Then I watched Sweden v. France and then USA v. Japan the next day. Man the Swedish and French teams had some cute players! Nothing beats smiles beaming tall sweaty blonde girls hugging and slapping butts for TV entertainment really. Well there's women's beach volleyball and tennis too. And then there was Thiny and Georges, where's Vavon when I need him for some French – Oolala!
      That championship game was OUTSTANDING! I hate the perception that somehow the USA squad are losers, man did they ever do well, very good athletes. There is such a small difference between 1st and 2nd and they should be incredibly proud as well. For example I say that USA was great at changing strategies for the different teams, no other team could do that, compare how they played for Japan v. Brazil. Japan really did what they did very well, very strategic team, and I bet that they practice penalty kicks a lot. The goals and almost goals very incredibly exciting and fast paced in that game too, wow.
      Oh yes it is very hot and humid here too.
      Have a good one,
      4774

      Reply
    24. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      zms, zsm, ddt………What kind of shape is Lisle's '72 Riviera in? Does he drive it at all?
      My weekend was great, but too fast. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, but it was hot. Racin sure has had problems with his race car this year, and it has been very expensive for him. He's not going to get much racing in this season, I'm afraid.
      Have a good Monday evening!
      4775

      Reply
    25. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      TowerofPower…..Yes, the soccer match Sunday was very exciting, although I only watched the last hour of it. Too bad about the US losing, but Japan's win had to boost the morale of the Japanese people after all their devastation. I'm in Southern CO, and we are still having a drought. It clouds up and threatens to rain, but pfft…..nothing happens. The temps are in the low 100's, so summer is here in full force.
      4776

      Reply
    26. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      Oops I have been forgetting to answer your questions, such poor cotomer sevis, sorry. Anyway like I told BB, best part for me is being on the beach cause I get to see Aga in a bikini and she is downright gorgeous. I also did a great job of puttin sun lotion on her back side, that's great too! She likes to be relax (and drink – shhhhh) in the sun and water best too. All the kids like Legoland the best. Also I was not clear (am I ever?) Richard is the guy's name, we met him in Lisle, but that's not where he lives, that's where Aga's aunt and uncle live. It was less traveling for everyone that way. I only saw a picture of the Riviera, it looked great though. He has owned it from '90 and has put about 100K miles on it. It looks a lot like this: http://www.cjacc.com/allcars/Matches/Buick_Rivier…
      Today I drove the Volvo in for work. I woke-up early and could not go to sleep. Max was next to me on one side and Aga on the other. When I would almost fall back asleep, Max would snore or have a dream and keep me awake. He's just so gog-gone lovable though, can't get mad. Anyway I left for work hoping to get a parking spot where the guy that drives his beetle parks, get a nice photo that way, but it was not there. Anyway, good as any excuse to drive 😉 It was nice, two people have come by already and told me they were excited to see the old green car. Since I was on vacation it was not here at work much and they had gotten worried!
      Have a good one,
      4777

      Reply
    27. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      mzs, szm, oop………It's great that you drive the Amazon to work. Does it have a/c? I got a laugh out of Richard's name not being Lisle like I thought it was. I got my wires crossed on that one. That's not unusual for me though. Shortly after I went to bed last night, I heard sirens…..lots of them and continual. A guy on a stolen motorcycle was leading police around town in a huge circle. It ended up that the motorcycle t-boned a police cruiser. I guess they took the guy to the hospital with injuries, but I haven't heard how serious they were. The policeman was okay. A front is going through right now with a little thunder and wind. It is sprinkling, but we aren't going to get any rain out of it. Darn.
      Happy Taco Tuesday!
      4778

      Reply
    28. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Hi guys! Hope all is well. It's very hot in KC – 100+ degree temps the last couple of days. Makes the drive home in the Alfa like an extended sit in the sauna.
      I went to see Yes and Styx last night. Styx put on a far better show than I expected and they look great good for 60 YO men. I guess success can buy you a lot of plastic surgery, haircare and personal trainers.
      6779

      Reply
    29. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      Alff…..Well, hello to you! Long time……no see. We too have been having 100+ temps here, but lower humidity than you have. It's still a drought in my part of CO, with too much rain in other parts of the state. It's crazy. We're having a lot of bear sightings with a couple of homes being broken into in Colorado Springs.
      Thanks for checking in with us. I love our little game. LIfe is sweet!
      4780

      Reply
      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        What's making the bears so aggressive? I heard that Yellowstone had its first mauling in 20+ years a few weeks back.
        4781

        Reply
        1. $kaycog Avatar
          $kaycog

          The last incident in C. Springs was due to stupidity. The guy left honeycomb outside his house and then left the door open. Not smart at all. Parts of the mountains aren't getting moisture, and the bears don't have enough to eat. So, they're coming into towns to search for food.
          That Yellowstone bear who killed a hiker was a mama with two cubs, and she was protecting them.
          4782

          Reply
    30. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Alff!
      Yes and Styx would be great to see! It's the money or all the undead from that river that keeps them young. Things have been great, Aga took Kevin to Poland and when they came back we took a vacation to CA. This morning there was a surprise announcement here at work, at 2:30 there is a scheduled talk: Observation of a New Heavy Baryon at CDF it bumped the long time scheduled talk I was going to to 4PM. Whenever you have the first word in a title be Observation or Discovery and then New comes after that and it's from an entire collaboration, it's important, even if I won't understand a word of it!
      The Amazon is doing great, I have fixed a couple of things. Man it's hot here too, but as long as I am moving, I get a really good air flow, stop lights suck though. How have you and your family been doing? I hope great. Have you got any neat vacation plans or projects for this summer?
      We've all missed you,
      4783

      Reply
    31. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      That was a weird chase, glad nobody was really hurt badly. Look BB is replying up near the top! No A/C in the Amazon, but it really has phenomenal air circulation when in motion. I've been told to upgrade the generator to an alternator and that then the fan (and wipers and lights) will work way better, maybe someday. About the bears, like you said, mom's are very protective, in all species. We have not been talking much about food. While on vacation I lived on In n Out Burger and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts basically. Except for breakfast, two meals from Valentino's Pizza (great place), a lunch at Acapulco (long time favorite for us), and a buffet dinner (at a place we loved when we lived in CA), as well as a BBQ place (the name also I can't recall right now), and twice meals in amusement parks (always BBQ, yum), it was double doubles, 2x4s, fries, cheesy fries, animal style fries, shakes, glazed, and creme filled doughnuts for me! I gained 7lb 🙁
      Have a good one,
      4784

      Reply
    32. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      zsm, zms, ocs………Holy cow! No wonder you gained 7 pounds……so much greasy, sweet, delicious food!! You know what though? You were on vacation, so there you go. What is animal style fries? Did Aga gain any weight? Nothing new in my life this week. Everything is going along smoothly for me. I love it! It's still triple digit temps here and dry, dry, dry, so nothing is different with the weather either.
      Happy Hump Day!
      4785

      Reply
    33. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      Aga is all fretting about gaining weight, I think she looks great. It has to be like only 5lb or something. But we are supposed to start a smoothie diet soon. Now I have no idea how that will work, cause I know I am going to basically live on milkshakes instead, which does not sound too bad now that I think about it. Yesterday (and for about two days more of it) I had Japanese style curry. Ever had that? I really like it, it's more of a gravy with stuff over rice than what you might think of an Indian or Thai curry. Oh and fried animal style are the sauce and fried onions covered ones in this picture (In n Out has an entire secret menu):.
      <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/2464680228_53eca92e70.jpg&quot; width="500">
      Keep cool,
      4786

      Reply
    34. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      smz, mzs, mst………..That picture of fries, animal style fries and hamburgers is ridiculous! You probably gained 7 lbs. on that alone. Good Lord! Gawd…it looks delicious! I've never had any curried food, so I don't know what to say. If it's spicy or hot, it's nothing I would like. About the only hot thing I like is Jalapenos, and then in moderation. Good luck on smoothie diet…..it's going to get boring, but it'll be effective, I would think.
      Another hot, dry day here.
      Have a good evening!
      4787

      Reply
    35. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Good golly, those animal style fries look delicious! I haven't had an In-n-Out since I left SoCal in the late '80s. That pic makes me hungry, even though I eat very little when it's hot like this.
      Sounds like your family has had some great travels this summer, Mike. Our vacation budget it pretty lean, so we spent last week at Lake Okoboji on the Iowa/Minnesota border. In laws have a place there, so it was a good low cost way to relax. My son took a sailing merit badge at camp in June, so tomorrow I'm going to surprise him by bringing home a little sailboat I found on Craigslist. I've been projecting pretty steadily for the last year, now that the house is painted I'm ready for some R and R. Also found a 1984 Interceptor on CL and am contemplating aggravating the Mrs. by buying a "dangerous" toy for me.
      Skaycog, please keep the Honeycomb in the pantry and the lids on the trashcans. Don't want to read about you in the paper, at least not involving an aggressive bear. According to Colbert, they are a constant threat.
      Stay cool, everyone.
      4788

      Reply
    36. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      Alff……Good morning, and TGIF! I'll keep the honeycomb under lock and key indoors, for sure. I'm an early riser and like to take walks at that time. I take my cell and red pepper spray in case of dogs or whatever may try to ravish me. They say in case of a bear not to run, don't look bear in the eye, make yourself appear larger and make lots of noise. Nothing was said about soiling pants, as that is what I'd probably do. It appears that I may be going to the mountains Saturday. I hope it works out that way. Keep cool!
      4789

      Reply
    37. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Alff,
      Wow your son will be so surprised, good for you! I'm gad to hear that projects have come to a close for now for you, you were very busy there for a while with that basement. The sort of vacation you all took is very nice, it's great to all relax. We are going for a weekend to Lake Michigan in August, friend's parents' house. We luck out in our vacations because Agnes is good friends with a person that works for Marriott so we typically have great deals on lodging. Also virtually every Marriott breakfast is included so that helps as well, and then many include dinner 4 weekdays or so a week. That helps a lot, Aga also plans well in advance and takes advantage of things like card member benefits, the kids had free tickets to six flags, found lots of deals like at BK for Legoland etc. She even planned restaurants on kids eat free days, she is a phenomena planner. I'm very thankful that we get to have these vacations as a family. Is the Interceptor a motorcycle? Aga wants one, but I am always afraid, isn't that silly for a guy that rides the bicycle so much! I don't know, there's just something scary about motorcycles to me I can't shake.
      Hi Skaycog,
      There are lots of different kinds of Japanese curry, but I really like the bland brown one, it's House brand. When you eat it, it feels good and filling. Like mashed potatoes and gravy, you know that feeling you get that's so great, same with this but rice instead. It's also really easy to make, it looks like a few thick chocolate bars when you open the box, you can break off how much yo need and add it to water and oil that you stir with other ingredients. I think the flavor I like is kokomura or something like that, but this one is good too, even though it says it's spicy
      <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UIXOn06Pz70/R97kYV7fDrI/AAAAAAAACQA/XAAyhdX6IZg/s500/House+Java+Curry.jpg&quot; width="500">
      If the rain here holds off, I'll be going to see Racin take some practice laps tonight. It's cooler on account of the storms today too. Some wild thunder and lightening woke me for a short while last night, sounded truncated if that makes any sense.
      Have a good one,
      4790

      Reply
    38. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      smz, szm, emt………..It's finally early Friday evening. I have some Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies in the oven. I put walnuts in half the batter, as some people like them without nuts. I love walnuts. I'm going to the mountains tomorrow and will end up in Cripple Creek, which is an old gold mining town that has been revived by legalized gambling in the '90's. The elevation is almost 10,000 feet which I can feel the difference although I live at about 5400 feet. It's going to be cooler there too, so I look forward to it. I hope you get to see Racin practice tonight, and that he doesn't have anymore problems. He's had more than his share already this season.
      <img src="http://coloradoouting.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/cripple_creek_town3.jpg"width="500"/&gt;
      Have a great weekend!
      4791

      Reply
    39. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      I hope you had a great time in the mountains. Was it a pretty drive? I had a busy weekend. We had a party for family. I had a clogged sink (again) which I hope is fixed for good this time. Yesterday I dealt with some branches, weeded (it has been storming so it's easy to pull them after that), mowing (but first I had to fix the wheel to the lawn mower), and fixing the lift for the hot tub cover.
      I did get to see Racin on Friday and he had a good day of racing on Saturday. I could not go to that since family was coming over and they were (characteristically) late. On Friday he did not get to practice though, it turned-out that 5 gallons of fuel was not enough to reach the pick-up and there was no place to buy alcohol there.
      Have a good one,
      4792

      Reply
    40. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Aga and my wife Kelley have a similar desirable trait – they know how to stretch a dollar. That's a good thing.
      Your Japanese curry looks interesting. I'll have to try it, although I doubt the rest of the fam would participate.
      We got the sailboat yesterday. It was about a 45 minute drive on the interstate home, during which one of the trailer's wheel bearings completely disintegrated. Fortunately, the wheel stayed on and I didn't notice it until I got home. Tonight I'll be fixing it so we can get it on the water this week. I guess this is what you expect when you buy something that's 30 years old.
      I'm jealous of your field trip to the mountains, Skaycog. I'll bet it was a refreshing break from the heat. We had a cool down yesterday, too. All the way down to 95.
      4793

      Reply
    41. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      Alff…….You were very lucky that the trailer wheel stayed on after the wheel bearing went kaput. That could have had some nasty results. I'm sure your son is going to have a lot of fun with his sailboat. I had a wonderful time in the mountains Saturday, and it was 30 degrees cooler than at home. I saw lots of deer while going up in the morning, and I even saw some wild turkeys. The area around Cripple Creek is home to some wild donkeys, and they visit town occasionally. That's pretty neat. Stay cool!
      4794

      Reply
    42. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      szm, msz, zoo……..Happy Taco Tuesday! It sounds like you were quite the handyman over the weekend. That's what happens when you own your home, isn't it? We finally got some rain last evening, and it was marvelous!!! It cooled it off about 20 degrees immediately and the trees are so happy this morning. I haven't heard the measurement yet. Let's see…..about food. The only different food I've had was a grilled shrimp salad while in Cripple Creek. I thought they could have had a better choice for lettuce (iceberg), but the shrimp were charcoal grilled and were delicious. Have a good Tuesday!
      4795

      Reply
      1. pj134 Avatar
        pj134

        50 replies in 8 weeks…
        I think you can do better then that.
        4796

        Reply
    43. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      pj134……Smarty pants! This 50 started 3 weeks ago. You're looking at Alff's comment that we branched off of. Good to see you!
      4797

      Reply
      1. pj134 Avatar
        pj134

        Don't get mad at me because you're getting lazy.
        Are you taking a break from [redacted] or are you just spreading the love?

        Reply
        1. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
          mr. mzs zsm msz esq

          Oops PJ, Skaycog started a new place just before I did, these things happen, let's use hers: http://hooniverse.info/2010/02/16/want-a-drop-top-…

          Reply
    44. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Alff,
      Man I love how you keep having great interesting things happen in your life, neat stories come out of that, unlike my dull ones. What was the reaction of your son about the sailboat? I have cousins that age, sometimes they are too cool to show emotion I guess. I hope you got a great big hug personally. Speaking of cousins, all my Oslo family is accounted for. It was frightening to us since my aunt worked for the government, we were worried that Seba had gone to that camp for summer. Thankfully they went on a vacation to Poland. The other cousin and his family were in Oslo but in their apartment thankfully.
      Have a good one,
      4798

      Reply
    45. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
      mr. mzs zsm msz esq

      Hi Skaycog,
      Deer while driving always freak me out a bit, there could be more of them. I wonder if I will have taco today? Yesterday was Pizza Poniedzialek for me. Aga made fish tacos, I had the last one on Sunday, I loved them! I think she used tilapia. That's a pretty environmentally conscious fish to eat, there was funny video in one of the CA museums that taught me that, originally a display from the Monteray Aquarium, hey I learned something! I'm glad you got rain and a cool down. It was very muggy on my bike ride in this morning. Thankfully we have showers here at work.
      Have a good one,
      4799

      Reply
    46. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      pj134……I come here to see some of my first friends who I miss dearly. I'm still over yonder, but I see you haven't been lately.
      4799

      Reply
    47. $kaycog Avatar
      $kaycog

      4801 – 4850
      New place: http://hooniverse.info/2010/02/16/want-a-drop-top-…
      4800

      Reply
  3. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    Daytona Shelby
    <img src="http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/587/4701/26467350020_large.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Hopman Avatar
      Hopman

      I saw one "LeMonized" at the Loudon Annoying a couple of weeks ago! It spent more time in the pits that on the track! And when it WAS on the track, it blew oil all over the place!

      Reply
      1. muthalovin Avatar
        muthalovin

        That sounds about right. I had one, and it spent more time in the pits than on the road. And when it was on the road, it was awesome, but then blew oil all over the fucking place, including the turbo.

        Reply
    2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
      ZomBee Racer

      I can't help but drool over the 71~ Dodge Charger it's blocking. 🙂

      Reply
    3. Chevy Aveo Avatar
      Chevy Aveo

      Sweet Ride

      Reply
  4. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    Probably the best one that I have had was not a car, but a truck, my 1988 Ford F-150 extended cab long bed 2wd 4.9L I-6 5MT. It was about three different faded shades of black and red. Sort of like this, but without as much rust.
    <img src="http://www.purplewaveauction.com/i/a/2010/20100825midwest/1015.JPG"width=500&gt;
    The crap car that I secretly lust after is a late 1980s/early 1990s Pontiac Sunbird Turbo 5-sp convertible.
    <img src="http://www.motorbase.com/uploads/2006/10/10/fs_sunbird.jpg"width=500&gt;

    Reply
    1. themagicboltbox Avatar
      themagicboltbox

      I had an '84 Sunbird convertible with a disabled turbo, and despite being rusty, deadly slow, and cheap, it was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned and I have some great memories of it. I ended up disconnecting the hydraulics and made it a manual top.

      Reply
    2. themagicboltbox Avatar
      themagicboltbox

      <POOF>

      Reply
  5. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    At first I was going to give my obligatory reference to the Town Cow, but I can't call it crap. The electric windows are really the only crappy thing about it.
    So I am going to vote PT Cruiser Convertible. And no, I'm not being snarky. Sure, the engine and driving dynamics leave a lot to be desired, and for some reason a lot of people find the lines vomit-inducing, but think about it…what other cheap, reliable car that's practical enough to be a daily driver offers the fun of open-air driving and still has enough room in the back seat for my two now teenaged nieces to ride along?
    <img src="http://img-81.carmax.com/Images/0/81/7059081-4-3-ada54eb3.jpg"&gt;
    The one pictured is currently $10,849 at CarMax, with 21K on the clock. That's chicken feed. I could definitely extract 11 grand worth of enjoyment out of that.
    CarMax.com

    Reply
    1. Deartháir Avatar
      Deartháir

      Throw a set of the upgraded 18" 5-spokes on those, and they're suddenly pretty decent-looking cars. Basically, they're what the PT Cruiser should have been in the first place.

      Reply
    2. ptschett Avatar
      ptschett

      I've always liked the PT Cruiser, I was half-seriously looking for a 5-speed GT turbo wagon for a while.

      Reply
    3. Spencedaddy Avatar
      Spencedaddy

      what is wrong with you people!

      Reply
  6. west_coaster Avatar
    west_coaster

    Twenty years ago I worked with a guy who, thanks to the financial strains of a divorce, ended up with a '79 Ford Fairmont.
    But not just any Fairmont. One that had been owned by a municipality at the beginning of its life, perhaps even as a police car. It had a 302, dog dish hubcaps on black steelies, tan vinyl bench seat, and a cheap-o gold paint job to cover the black-and-white or whatever had been on it before. The paint was so sloppily applied that they even painted over the rubber plug in the trunk lid where an antenna had been, rather than Bondo'ing over the hole.
    That car would not die. He eventually got his finances up to par again and could afford a new car, but decided to just keep driving it. He finally sold it to a neighborhood gardener who continually left notes on the windshiled.

    Reply
  7. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    Without hesitation –
    <img src="IMAGE URL" width="600">
    <img src="http://www.dragtimes.com/images-classifieds-large/1976-Chevrolet-Vega-for-sale_320685903843.jpg"&gt;
    This one's the same year ('76) and color (Medium Sandlewood Metallic) as my 5-speed GT, that I drove for 11 years, going from 93,000 miles to 218,000 miles.

    Reply
  8. GTXEliminator Avatar
    GTXEliminator

    Ford Ranger. Cheap, reliable, and decent gas millage for what it is.

    Reply
  9. Van Sarockin Avatar
    Van Sarockin

    Chevy Metro convertible
    Any Jag after the E
    Last Lancia's imported to the US
    Isuzu Lotus Elan
    And, God help me, I wanted to like the last Capri, but I just couldn't get there.

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      The Lancia and the Jag might be had for crap money, but once you've done what's necessary to make them decent drivers you'll have significantly more into them. For the same reason, I didn't put a GTV6 on the list.

      Reply
      1. Van Sarockin Avatar
        Van Sarockin

        That's part of what makes them so crap – they just fall to pieces without spectacularly anal maintenance. And most of the folks who've owned them before you couldn't be bothered to do the basics. And they'll still break at random and crap out on you.

        Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      A friend of mine had a Metro convertible. The lack of body integrity was shockingly noticeable, to the point of being frightening to ride in. And this from a guy who had a Kawasaki Mach IV at the time…

      Reply
    3. sporty88 Avatar
      sporty88

      I agree with you about the last Crapi, errr… I mean Capri. The biggest problems they had, even Down Under where they came from, is that they shared too much DNA with the then nearly 10-year-old Ford Laser/Mazda 323 twins, were put together by monkeys, and came out at the same time as the Mazda Miata/MX-5.
      I still see a few occasionally driven around here (Sydney, Australia), usually in beater condition – obvious signs of filler, bad paint, duct tape covering holes in the convertible top, etc.

      Reply
  10. SSurfer321 Avatar
    SSurfer321

    I learned to drive in one.
    My best friend owned one.
    I did 50mph through a drainage ditch in one, coming out completely unscathed*.
    And I still like the lines of it.
    <img src=http://americandreamcars.com/1984buickregalltd051609.jpg">
    *We were "performance benchmarking" against a Dodge Daytona.

    Reply
  11. alcology Avatar
    alcology

    Ford Tempo. I miss it.

    Reply
  12. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    I bought a $1000 '61 Chevy C10 panel truck in 1991 (which today would be about $1650 inflated bucks). I heartily encourage you to do it soon, because the buying power of $1K continues to go down and the value of salvageable '60s trucks is going up. Pretty soon a grand will only buy you a rusty hulk of a truck.

    Reply
    1. OA5599 Avatar
      OA5599

      When the time comes, I'll be a little flexible in my budget. If spare cash>value of the truck and available parking places remain, I'll buy.

      Reply
  13. GTXEliminator Avatar
    GTXEliminator

    I just thought of another one. One of my friends has a 2002 Chrysler Sebring Convertable. It has 100K miles on it and still feels fairly new, has been really reliable for him, and apparently isn't that bad to drive.

    Reply
  14. $kaycog Avatar
    $kaycog

    As lovely as this picture is, I'll have to say the Ford Pinto.
    <img src="http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/08/205708,xcitefun-car-ford-pinto.jpg"width="500"/&gt;

    Reply
    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      Wow, that is one sharp-looking Pinto.

      Reply
    2. ZomBee Racer Avatar
      ZomBee Racer

      GT20?

      Reply
      1. $kaycog Avatar
        $kaycog

        It's more like the GT&frac12;.

        Reply
        1. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
          BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

          Needs moar Gulf livery stripes to become a GT1

          Reply
          1. $kaycog Avatar
            $kaycog

            Haha! Cute!

    3. Jim-Bob Avatar
      Jim-Bob

      Needs a T Bird Turbo 2.3 and 5 speed swap along with a set of late 80's Mustang GT turbine rims to make it perfect.

      Reply
    4. scoutdude Avatar
      scoutdude

      Nice a 73 Runabout like my first car.

      Reply
  15. Froggmann_ Avatar
    Froggmann_

    He was known as "The Beast":
    <img src="http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q53/Froggmann/Misc/Previous Cars/002-1.jpg" width="600/">
    He was a hand-me-down-because-my-Thunderbird-didn't-want-to-run 1972 F-350 Plumbing truck that was my daily driver through High School (92-93) and for a few years there after. During that time that truck attained more air than your average Prerunner and Forded more streams than your average Land Rover. Despite his flaws like only a AM radio, 2 working brakes, no E-Brake and a plank that occasionally would slide out of the bed and try to decapitate oncoming cars, back registration and a headlight that was being held in by Plumbers Tape the ol Beast was a fun truck.

    Reply
  16. Marco Avatar
    Marco

    Renault 9. My grandmother had a blue one. My favorite color was blue. Ergo, best car ever!
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Renault_9_Cambridge.jpg&quot; width="500" />

    Reply
    1. dukeisduke Avatar
      dukeisduke

      Egads, that came over as the (AMC) Renault Alliance.

      Reply
    2. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      crap, indeed.

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        I have a secret place in my mind that hides a love for the 18i Sportswagon. Don't ask me why — I keep the hatch chained shut and don't won't go in there anymore.
        <img src="http://www.motorbase.com/pictures/contributions/990913/std_1980_renault_18i_sport_wagon_advert.jpg&quot; width="420">

        Reply
    3. SSurfer321 Avatar
      SSurfer321

      My grandmother had a baby blue one, when I was a child.

      Reply
  17. Owlman Avatar
    Owlman

    10 year old Citroen C5 LX 110 HDI wagon. Looks like a dead fish, drives like a dead fish, worthless but essential to life and the long hauls across Europe with, well, with everything

    Reply
  18. aastrovan Avatar
    aastrovan

    Fox body Mustang bought cheap and fun to own.And,sold at a profit.

    Reply
    1. facelvega Avatar
      facelvega

      okay, but for it to be truly a crap car it has to be one without a 5.0. Also no SVO. Early, crappy turbo 2.3 models would do, though.

      Reply
  19. ZomBee Racer Avatar
    ZomBee Racer

    Without a doubt.
    I ever tell you about the time I passed a Jeeper's Jamboree 4×4 excursion out on the old Henness-Pass trail? I could hear them all flabbergasted, asking "How the hell did THAT thing ever get out here?"
    All you gotta do is keep the pointy rocks away from the oil pan, and don't ever stop. Don't. Ever. Stop.
    <img src="http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/AmericanMotors//1973_AMC_Gremlin_X_Sport_Hatchback_Coupe.jpg"/ >

    Reply
    1. Deartháir Avatar
      Deartháir

      I came here to vote exactly that:
      <img src="http://www.dragtimes.com/images/4771-1973-AMC-Gremlin.jpg&quot; width="500">
      I'd also settle for a Pacer, just because I saw one a year or so ago that impressed the hell out of me:
      <a href="http://hooniverse.info/2010/03/05/v-i-s-i-t-pacer/” target=”_blank”>http://hooniverse.info/2010/03/05/v-i-s-i-t-pacer/

      Reply
  20. salguod Avatar
    salguod

    Ford Escort. No, not the awful original, but the ones made after that up until they started making Foci instead.
    I had a 1993 plane Jane, 'fridge white, 13" wheels, crank windows 5 speed LX hatch. Only options were AC, cassette and some goofy lighting package that gave me reading lamps, under hood lamp and a glove box lamp.
    Bought it with low expectations and about 23K on the clock. Ran it for 11 years up until 184K. Never had the engine apart, save for an intake gasket change, and it ran like new and burned or leaked nothing when I gave it away. The throwout bearing went and I didn't feel like putting a clutch in, so off it went. That intake gasket and some suspension work (rear springs, tie rods, etc) were the only non-wear things that ever went wrong.
    Averaged nearly 32 MPG (with a high of 43 MPG) over 11 years and cost me only $0.115 per mile to run (not including insurance). Slow, boring to drive, boring to look at and slowly disintegrating into a pile of red dust, but the perfect beater if ever there was one.

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      I had a '94 LX Wagon. It was a faithful, cheap, reliable car, for 11 years, up until the head gasket blew at 134K. But for 11 years, I pretty much always disliked driving that car. And that's really saying something, because my prior car was a '93 Festiva with a slushbox, which I frankly didn't dislike at all.

      Reply
    2. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      I had a '93 sedan that I picked up for $100 (on the road cost was a whopping $600) – low mileage (less than 100k) but rusty. It was glacial with the autobox, but since it was replacing an Intrepid, the light, nimble handling seemed like a revelation. Plus, it was capable of throttle-off oversteer (quite the surprise when I first experienced it), so it had that going for it.
      And yeah, it was a solid little car for me too. It was totalled, although I have a friend who got well over 200k out of his.

      Reply
  21. facelvega Avatar
    facelvega

    I used to have an 89 Mazda 323 sedan– it was noisy and uncomfortable for highway trips and felt like it would fall apart at much over 70, barely got 27mpg for all it's tiny underpoweredness, looked archaic inside compared to my friends' civics and corollas– but when it came time to go around a corner or whip through some traffic, it was clearly better than any other small japanese car of its day, except maybe a Swift GT. It simply crushed the supposedly good years of the civic without any doubt at all.

    Reply
  22. CptSevere Avatar
    CptSevere

    Hear hear. I love my '64 Chevy motorhome, and the '65 3/4 ton flatbed I recently had (which I should be able to buy back pretty soon). Good solid, basic trucks that look great doing anything.

    Reply
  23. CptSevere Avatar
    CptSevere

    My parent's had a Suzuki Sidekick of around the same vintage, that they bought to tow behind their motorhome when they were full-time RV'ers. I got to use it for a summer when they were towing their trike instead. I was more than impressed by the way that thing would climb. They liked it so much that they used it up, and replaced it with a Vitara, which was a great little off roader, too. We took that all over the Grand Staircase area in Utah, some pretty primitive roads, no problem at all.

    Reply
  24. CptSevere Avatar
    CptSevere

    The '82 Chevy 1 ton flatbed dually that we have at work is a beater piece of shit. You have to start it with a button on the dashboard. The taillights hang out of the holes like zombie eyes hanging out of the sockets, the right turn signal doesn't work, the Kraco stereo has only one functional speaker (which makes the local twangy classic country station sound authentic) and we blew out the back window hauling rotten mine timbers a year ago. However, the truck is in great condition mechanically, has a fairly fresh crate 350 with a huge Holley carburetor and a loud dual exhaust, with glass packs. That damn truck has hauled five thousand pounds of rock, rusty mining junk, big mine timbers, bales of hay, all kinds of things over rough desert terrain without complaint. It has been headbutted by longhorn cows when we tie them to the thing to doctor them. We beat the living hell out of that truck on a daily basis and it just keeps on going.

    Reply
    1. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      I still believe 73-87 Chevy trucks would have the same reputation as the Toyota Hilux if they had been sold in any numbers in the rest of the world.
      That would be a great idea for Top Gear USA, do the same things to an old Chevy truck that those guys did to the Toyota.

      Reply
  25. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    There are a lot of crap cars I like in principle, since I've never really experienced them, and don't know any better. But I can honestly say I love Chevettes, even in their craptastic state. The light weight, RWD, and absolute lack of power make them a hoot in winter – you can spend pretty much all of January sideways and never spin. Plus, their simplicity makes them a charming anachronism, and rather easy to keep running.

    Reply
    1. CptSevere Avatar
      CptSevere

      I agree with that. I remember a rancher in North Florida, where I graduated high school, using a yellow Chevette to herd cattle. It was a hoot seeing him sliding the thing sideways in wet grass, chasing the cows around. That poor little car was so beat up it looked like a raisin, but it seemed to hold up to the abuse.

      Reply
  26. Avatar
    Anonymous
    Reply
    1. muthalovin Avatar
      muthalovin

      It has been found that if your comment is Raptured, you can reply to whatever comment you originally replied with >Poof!<, and, more often than not, the comment will magically return.

      Reply
      1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
        Peter Tanshanomi

        Actually, you can reply with anything, but what could be more fun than >POOF?<

        Reply
        1. OA5599 Avatar
          OA5599

          After someone responds to the orifinal comment or the POOFed reply, you can usually delete the POOF.

          Reply
          1. muthalovin Avatar
            muthalovin

            But there is no fun in that. Plus, it astounds people who are new(ish).

          2. Tim Odell Avatar
            Tim Odell

            "Have you seen the new Poof?"
            "His name’s Gary, and we don’t need any more lawsuits, okay?"
            http://visceralviscous.tumblr.com/post/1364585900…

          3. dculberson Avatar
            dculberson

            "I should be in this Poof!"

        2. Alff Avatar
          Alff

          I'm fond of obsolete oaths like "ZOUNDS!" or "EGAD!" in addition to the superhero references "Shazam!" and "KaPow!".

          Reply
          1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
            Peter Tanshanomi

            Abracadabra would work well, too.

  27. SSurfer321 Avatar
    SSurfer321

    Yes thank you.

    Reply
  28. P. Frere Avatar
    P. Frere

    2.2 liter 5 spd Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon. I had several in the late '80's. Fast enough, economical, roomy, tough, ugly. An almost perfect crap car.

    Reply
  29. Tim Odell Avatar
    Tim Odell

    The crappiest cars I've had the pleasure of loving were a number of bottom-spec 6 cylinder 2wd pickups…generally short cabs. They promise little, and always deliver more than you'd expect. With nothing in the bed, you can be dorifto king with no great effort.
    Other than that, I've got an unhealthy curiosity about any of the RWD compacts from the malaise era. Yeah, they were awful and generally defective…but they're RWD and light! They even made V8 Monzas! C'mon…how bad could it be?

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Number 2 on my list, after the Cherokee I posted above, was my '76 or '77 (I don't remember) Buick Skyhawk with the V6. It was craptastic. I once left it parked in a farmer's field for 4 months while I went abroad. Started right up on my return. It had a broken motor mount and wallowed like a hippo but it was reliable and cheap. It was great to have a car that I didn't give a hoot about.

      Reply
  30. Hopman Avatar
    Hopman

    Okay I'll bite.
    My old trusty '91 Oldsmobile Shilouette. It was my fitrst car and a hand-me down from my parents. Three-speed OD auto, AC & cruise that quit a long time ago, but the motor (a 3.1 V6) was stout as hell! I finally sold it with over 265K on the clock for $100.
    I LOVED that thing! It hauled everything from engine blocks to friends couch's, AND did a legit indicated 108 MPH on the NY State thruway!

    Reply
  31. James Avatar
    James

    <img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/pokey6733/5%20-%20Other%20Stuff/Random%20Car%20Pics/89reatta.jpg&quot; border="0" alt="90 Buick Reatta Pictures, Images and Photos"/>
    Buick Reatta.
    Actually, for some reason, I've really grown fond of many 1980s FWD GMs lately. Skyhawk T-type – heck even a Skyhawk wagon. MMMM…
    When they were new, I paid them no attention. But now for some reason, they really appeal to me.

    Reply
    1. facelvega Avatar
      facelvega

      I thought of the Reatta too, as you can find less-than-pristine ones for peanuts these days, but in the end it already has just a smidge of collector car clout accruing to it. Too bad there's no easy aftermarket way to make that front-heavy balance handle or to get a buick supercharger on that engine, or it would already be collectible.
      I'm at the end of an 80s-early 90s GM moment myself, cured by the running costs of keeping an Ed Mertz era Lesabre on the road. Everything that breaks is amazingly cheap and easy to fix, but it's also amazing how many things keep on breaking. The only 80s GM car I want anymore is a C4, or possibly an S10 for beater duty. My brother just tried to talk me into a pontiac can am ( I know, 70s not 80s), and I shot him down instantly.

      Reply
  32. Jim-Bob Avatar
    Jim-Bob

    I'll beat my dead horse once again and say 1989-94 Geo Metro 3 cyl/5 speed. They are reliable if properly maintained and they get fuel economy that surpasses any hybrid that is not a Prius V or Insight 1 5 speed. The only things that kill them are rust and burnt exhaust valves due to bad valve guides or a plugged EGR. The price is hard to beat ( I have 2 rust-free examples and paid $250 for one and $350 for the other) for what you get and with these gas prices there are few cheaper ways to get around.

    Reply
  33. Jim-Bob Avatar
    Jim-Bob

    Love. I am in it.

    Reply
  34. topdeadcentre Avatar
    topdeadcentre

    Favorite crap cars? I have an unholy love for many oddball cars, but today I'll focus on a specific need which I wish I had: Island car.
    For those with enough dosh to afford a summer-season-long place on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket or Block Island, the most common way to get there is on the ferry boats. The fare (and hassle) for a car is so insanely high versus the cost for a person that it makes sense to keep a set of wheels on the island for getting around, shopping runs, etc. The regular car is left at a ferry parking lot on the mainland, and the island car awaits at the other side.
    Since speed limits are low and roads are small and gas is extra-spendy, a smaller, low-performance vehicle is desirable. Cheap to fix, undesirable to steal, unremarkable enough to leave unlocked and wide open when parked, seating for at least four, and a convertible top are all big bonuses. Most of these cars hibernate through the winter on the mainland, or wait out the ice and snow in the summer cottage garage.
    Slow, cheap and convertible converge in these lovable crapcans. Examples include:
    Dodge 400:
    <img src="http://blog.canoe.ca/mediam/1983Dodge400.jpg&quot; title="Dodge 400" alt="Dodge 400" width="250">
    Chrysler LeBaron:
    <img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/4666/4825/24164912116_large.jpg&quot; title="Chrysler LeBaron" alt="Chrysler LeBaron" width="250">
    Chevy Cavalier:
    <img src="http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/1994-chevrolet-cavalier-z24-convertible_4535683.jpg&quot; title="Chevy Cavalier" alt="Chevy Cavalier" width="250">

    Reply
  35. discontinuuity Avatar
    discontinuuity

    My dad used to have a 1986 Honda Accord with a 5 speed.
    <img src="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/honda-accord-7.jpg"&gt;
    It was slow, reliable, safe, efficient, and handled better than some modern cars. Even the weird electronic carburetor worked fine for the whole time we had it. Also one of the easiest clutches/transmissions I've ever used. Plus it had pop-up headlights.

    Reply
    1. discontinuuity Avatar
      discontinuuity

      I should also add that I've seriously lusted after this minivan:
      Z[youtube KIivO7u91Oo&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIivO7u91Oo&feature=related youtube]

      Reply
    2. jjd241 Avatar
      jjd241

      We still drive the '86 my wife bought new (a few years before we got together). It's got 187K and is still going strong. I recently got 39.9mpg on a 300mi road trip with a FULL load of camping gear in the trunk and back seat.

      Reply
  36. fhrblig Avatar
    fhrblig

    I think I have to go with my '83 Chevy Celebrity with the 2.8l carbureted V6. Man that thing was an awesome vehicle. The speedometer failed a year after buying it, the Check Engine light was on for 7 of the 8 years of ownership, the drivers' door mechanism broke first on the outside then on the inside (I hacked the door panel up with pruning shears to be able to get to the bar and pull it manually), at one point the engine was resting on the axle because all the motor mounts had failed, and toward the end the cooling system didn't work so I had to drive with the heater on full in summer to keep the engine cool. None of these thinks kept it from starting up and running faithfully for 8 years. It was towed and would have cost $50 to break out of impound, which was roughly 37 times more than it was worth so I let it go. I miss it terribly.

    Reply
  37. facelvega Avatar
    facelvega

    I just thought of one more for this list, a Chrysler Fifth Avenue, either an 82-89 M-body or a 90-93 final run car. Holy moly are they crappy, but I still want one.
    <img src="http://www.strutmasters.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/chrysler-fifth-avenue-with-air-ride-suspension.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. topdeadcentre Avatar
      topdeadcentre

      These amuse me because way back in 1985, I worked as a night security guard at (among other places) a Thrifty Rent-a-Car at Logan Airport near Boston. Security "night guys" did paperwork, rentals, airport pickup and dropoff, etc. The Chrysler 5th Ave was the "luxury" offering. For some reason we had so many of them that many renters who would have gotten a Chevy Celebrity or something smaller and junkier were "complimentary traded up" into 5th Aves.
      Job benefits included use of the garage (for fixing or washing), watching TV all night, a heavy-breathing chick who called the phone every week or so to spice up her at-home solo entertainment, occasional use of rental cars (date night!), and keeping odd things found in returns (they never called to say "I left an ounce of weed under the passenger seat — can you overnight that to Seattle?)
      Good times…

      Reply
  38. RichardKopf Avatar
    RichardKopf

    Honestly, take your pick.
    Both cars are awesome, however.
    <img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/hoopd87/ffc9592a.jpg"width="500&quot; >

    Reply
  39. Jesse Avatar
    Jesse

    1992-1993 Integra GS-R
    http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/pictures/VEHICL…
    The 2nd Gen Integra was the coolest car that Honda built before the bloat got to everything including the Civic. I've owned two of them, an RS and a GS. Always wanted the GS-R. 1.7L of VTEC fury. Sporty 14-inch alloys, available leather (in 93 I think). Just a slick, slick little car.

    Reply
  40. Van Sarockin Avatar
    Van Sarockin

    VW Fox

    Reply
  41. 2stroke4life Avatar
    2stroke4life

    Citroen DS, Lancia Beta, Alfa Romeo GTV6, Maserati Biturbo, Ferrari Mondial and Renault Fuego…
    OK, this is for crappy cars, not cars with crappy reliability…
    Chevy G20 van or Trabant 601.

    Reply
  42. mr. mzs zsm msz esq Avatar
    mr. mzs zsm msz esq

    Yay it installed! And works, sort of, good enough for govt work anyway 😉 Oh and Tower, Huge Cups, of course I'd be upto those as well!

    Reply